Nevada County fair kicks off today

The Nevada County Fair opens today and runs through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the fairgrounds, featuring games, food, music and entertainment for the whole family.

This year's theme, "Sea You at the Fair!" is represented throughout the event, with ocean-themed decorations, a stingray exhibit and a giant sandbox.

Along "Treat Street," 31 local nonprofits are set to sell food and drinks to raise awareness and funds for their organizations. Last year, organizations raised over 900,000 dollars at the fair, according to Fairgrounds CEO Rea Callender.

"Of the 78 fairs in California, we're one of the only ones to work solely with nonprofits for our food," Callender said.

New attractions this year include Scotten School Robotics Club robot demonstrations, Michael Mesmer's "Strange Magic," featuring optical illusion and magic, and salsa dancing lessons and performances, among others.

Longtime attendees can revisit the annual hay bucking contest, now in its 31st year, listen to the music of country rock group Mogollon, which has played at the fair for over 20 years, and attend Sunday's junior livestock auction, another annual tradition.

Recommended Stories For You

Nightly arena events, which begin at 7 p.m., include an extreme rodeo Wednesday and Thursday, monster and modified tuff truck racing Friday and Saturday, and a destruction derby Sunday.

Daily admission to the fair costs $9 for adults, $6 for seniors, $4 for children ages six to 12 and is free for children ages five and under. Parking is an additional $6.

Free admission is granted from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily for special groups. Honor Roll students are free Wednesday, children 12 and under are free Thursday, disabled people and guests are free Friday, and active and retired military are free Saturday. The price of admission is reduced to five dollars for all fair-goers on Sunday until 5 p.m.